Music box apparatus

Abstract

Provided is a novel music box device that can play music for a long time and can also suppress a thickness. The present invention relates to a music box device including: a sheet that has a playing engagement part and is rotated by a driving means; a star wheel arranged oppositely to the sheet and having two or more claws on an outer peripheral surface; and a vibration valve arranged adjacent to the star wheel. In the music box device, as the sheet is rotated by the driving means, the playing engagement part is linked with one claw to rotate the star wheel while another claw plucks the vibration valve to play music, and the sheet has a helical plate shape.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A music box device comprising: a sheet that has a playing engagement part and is rotated by a driving means; a star wheel arranged oppositely to the sheet and having two or more claws on an outer peripheral surface; and a vibration valve arranged adjacent to the star wheel, wherein as the sheet is rotated by the driving means, the playing engagement part is linked with one claw to rotate the star wheel, and another claw plucks the vibration valve to play music, wherein
 the sheet has a helical plate shape and a center axis of the sheet is orthogonal to a center axis of the star wheel. 
 
     
     
       2. The music box device according to  claim 1 , wherein the driving means includes a first rotary disc connected to one end of the sheet, a second rotary disc connected to another end of the sheet, and a synchronizing mechanism to synchronously rotate the first rotary disc and the second rotary disc. 
     
     
       3. The music box device according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a cover plate including a spiral groove provided facing at least one of the first rotary disc and the second rotary disc, and a pin movable in the spiral groove, wherein 
 at least one of the first rotary disc and the second rotary disc facing the cover plate has a radial groove extending in a radial direction and holding the pin movably. 
 
     
     
       4. The music box device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the driving means includes a shaft to integrally rotate a spacer that holds the star wheel to be idly rotatable and is provided coaxially with the star wheel, and 
 the driving means further includes a sheet pressing mechanism having a driving roller that sandwiches the sheet in between with the spacer and is rotated by the driving means to feed out the sheet and a pressing roller that is mounted to a drive shaft to be rotated together with the driving roller and brings the sheet toward the spacer. 
 
     
     
       5. The music box device according to  claim 4 , wherein the driving roller is configured to rotate the sheet at a rotational speed consistent with the first rotary disc and the second rotary disc.